market-brand

# Brand Voice Analysis and Guidelines Generation ## Skill Purpose Analyze a brand's voice, tone, and messaging across all available channels and generate a comprehensive brand voice guidelines document. This skill examines how a brand communicates, identifies patterns and inconsistencies, and produces actionable guidelines that any writer or marketer can follow to maintain brand consistency. ## When to Use - User wants to understand or document a brand's voice - User needs brand voice guidelines for a team, freelancers, or agency - User wants to ensure consistency across marketing channels - User is rebranding or refining their brand identity - User wants to compare their brand voice to competitors - Triggered by `/market brand <url>` or `/market brand` ## Dynamic Workflow orchestration Brand voice analysis is multi-angle by nature: the truth lives in many separate pieces of copy, and each voice dimension is its own lens. Run it as a fan-out, not a linear read. 1. **Plan (you, the orchestrator).** Resolve the brand URL and enumerate the source surfaces to fetch (the Step 1 list). This is an unknown-size discovery: keep pulling pages/profiles **loop-until-dry** — stop when new sources stop revealing new voice signals (diminishing evidence), capped by the Step 1 tiers (primary → secondary → tertiary). 2. **Fan out parallel sub-agents — natural units of THIS skill:** - **Source harvesters** (one per surface group: site copy, blog, social, email, ads/microcopy) — extract verbatim quotes only, no interpretation. File-disjoint, so parallel-safe. - **Dimension scorers** (one each: Formal↔Casual, Serious↔Playful, Technical↔Simple, Reserved↔Bold) — each scores 1-10 from the harvested quotes with ≥3 cited examples. - **Archetype mapper**, **vocabulary miner**, **competitor-voice comparator** (reuses `/market competitors` output if present), **consistency auditor** — one agent each. 3. **Adversarially verify (≥3 skeptic graders, 2-of-3 consensus).** Before accepting any score or archetype call, dispatch skeptic graders that try to *falsify* it: "Does the cited quote actually prove a 7/10 casual, or is it 4/10?" "Is the 'Innovator' archetype contradicted by the hedged claims on the pricing page?" A dimension score or archetype ships only on 2-of-3 agreement; on a split, re-harvest more quotes and re-grade. Reject any claim whose cited evidence a grader can overturn. 4. **Synthesize yourself.** You — not a sub-agent — write the final BRAND-VOICE.md, reconciling the verified dimension scores, archetype, vocabulary, competitor delta, and consistency map into one coherent voice portrait. Never paste a sub-agent's section as the verdict. **Scope discipline:** fan out only over surfaces that belong to THIS brand. Competitor copy is fetched solely for the comparison matrix, never blended into the brand's own voice scoring. ## Output contract & VERIFY **Produces:** a single `BRAND-VOICE.md` (schema under "Output Format") containing — voice summary, 4 dimension scores with visual map, primary/secondary archetype, tone-by-context table, vocabulary lists + signature phrases, Voice IS/IS-NOT chart, Do's/Don'ts, messaging hierarchy (tagline → boilerplate → story), 5-8 copy samples, competitor comparison, consistency audit with score, and prioritized recommendations. **VERIFY before declaring done (R-RUBRIC):** - [ ] Every one of the 4 dimension scores cites ≥3 verbatim quotes from harvested sources. - [ ] Each cited quote is real (traceable to a fetched URL/source) — no invented copy. - [ ] Archetype call passed 2-of-3 adversarial consensus. - [ ] All template placeholders (`[X/10]`, `[quote]`, `[type]`) are filled — zero brackets remain. - [ ] The 5-8 copy samples are written in the *derived* voice and cover ≥5 distinct contexts. - [ ] A new copywriter could write on-brand from this doc alone (usability check). If any box fails, the deliverable is incomplete — re-harvest/re-grade the failing section, never ship a guessed value (L0 no-regression, L1 evidence-is-truth). ## How to Execute ### Step 1: Gather Source Material To analyze a brand's voice, examine content from multiple sources. Prioritize in this order: **Primary Sources (must analyze):** 1. **Homepage** -- The most curated representation of the brand 2. **About page** -- How the brand describes itself 3. **Product/service pages** -- How they present their offerings **Secondary Sources (analyze if available):** 4. **Blog posts** (at least 3-5 recent posts) 5. **Social media profiles** (bio, recent posts, engagement style) 6. **Email newsletters** (welcome email, recent sends) 7. **Customer-facing copy** (error messages, onboarding flows, help docs) **Tertiary Sources:** 8. **Job postings** -- Reveals internal culture and values 9. **Press releases** -- Formal communication style 10. **Ad copy** -- Paid messaging approach 11. **Video scripts or podcast transcripts** -- Spoken brand voice Use browser tools or the analyze_page.py script to access web content. For social media, check the website for social links and analyze the linked profiles. ### Step 2: Voice Dimension Analysis Map the brand's voice along four primary dimensions. Each dimension is a spectrum, not a binary. #### Dimension 1: Formal <-----> Casual Where does the brand fall on the formality spectrum? | Signal | Formal | Casual | |---|---|---| | Contractions | Avoids them ("do not", "cannot") | Uses them freely ("don't", "can't") | | Sentence structure | Complex, longer sentences | Short, punchy sentences | | Vocabulary | Professional, industry-standard | Conversational, everyday words | | Greetings | "Dear valued customer" | "Hey there!" | | Pronouns | Third person ("the company", "one") | First/second person ("we", "you") | | Humor | Rare or absent | Frequent, natural | | Slang/colloquialisms | Never | Occasionally or frequently | **Score: 1 (extremely formal) to 10 (extremely casual)** **Evidence required:** Quote 3-5 specific examples from the source material that support your rating. #### Dimension 2: Serious <-----> Playful How much levity does the brand inject into its communication? | Signal | Serious | Playful | |---|---|---| | Tone | Authoritative, measured | Light-hearted, fun | | Metaphors | Rare, conservative | Creative, unexpected | | Exclamation marks | Rare | Frequent | | Emoji use | Never | Sometimes or often | | Wordplay/puns | Never | Enjoys them | | Error messages | "An error has occurred" | "Oops! Something went sideways" | | Self-deprecation | Never | Occasionally | **Score: 1 (extremely serious) to 10 (extremely playful)** #### Dimension 3: Technical <-----> Simple How much domain expertise does the brand assume in its audience? | Signal | Technical | Simple | |---|---|---| | Jargon | Uses industry terms freely | Avoids or explains all jargon | | Acronyms | Uses without definition | Spells out on first use | | Detail level | In-depth explanations | High-level overviews | | Audience assumption | Expert audience | General audience | | Data/statistics | Frequent, detailed | Occasional, simplified | | Examples | Complex, domain-specific | Simple, relatable analogies | **Score: 1 (extremely technical) to 10 (extremely simple)** #### Dimension 4: Reserved <-----> Bold How much personality and confidence does the brand project? | Signal | Reserved | Bold | |---|---|---| | Claims | Hedged ("we believe", "may help") | Direct ("we guarantee", "the best") | | Opinions | Neutral, balanced | Strong, opinionated | | Competitive references | Avoids mentioning competitors | Directly compares | | Personality | Professional, understated | Distinctive, memorable | | Promises | Conservative | Ambitious | | Controversy | Avoids | Embraces when aligned with values | **Score: 1 (extremely reserved) to 10 (extremely bold)** ### Step 3: Tone Spectrum Mapping Beyond the four dimensions, map how the brand's tone shifts across different contexts: | Context | Typical Tone | Example | |---|---|---| | Homepage | [Confident/Welcoming/Urgent/etc.] | "[quote from homepage]" | | Product description | [Informative/Persuasive/Technical/etc.] | "[quote]" | | Blog post | [Educational/Conversational/Authoritative/etc.] | "[quote]" | | Social media | [Casual/Engaging/Promotional/etc.] | "[quote]" | | Error/404 page | [Apologetic/Humorous/Helpful/etc.] | "[quote]" | | Email subject lines | [Direct/Curious/Urgent/etc.] | "[quote]" | | CTA buttons | [Action-oriented/Benefit-driven/Urgent/etc.] | "[quote]" | | Customer support | [Empathetic/Professional/Friendly/etc.] | "[quote]" | ### Step 4: Brand Personality Framework Map the brand to one of five core personality archetypes (brands may blend 1-2): #### The 5 Archetypes **1. The Authority** - Characteristics: Expert, trustworthy, data-driven, established - Voice: Confident but not arrogant, educational, precise - Industries: Finance, healthcare, B2B enterprise, legal, consulting - Example brands: McKinsey, IBM, Mayo Clinic - Key phrases: "Research shows...", "Our experts...", "Industry-leading..." **2. The Innovator** - Characteristics: Forward-thinking, disruptive, visionary, tech-savvy - Voice: Exciting, future-focused, sometimes provocative - Industries: Tech, SaaS, startups, renewable energy - Example brands: Tesla, Stripe, Notion - Key phrases: "Reimagine...", "The future of...", "We're building..." **3. The Friend** - Characteristics: Warm, approachable, helpful, relatable - Voice: Conversational, empathetic, inclusive, encouraging - Industries: Consumer products, education, community platforms - Example brands: Mailchimp, Slack, Duolingo - Key phrases: "We get it...", "You've got this...", "Here to help..." **4. The Rebel** - Characteristics: Bold, challenging conventions, irreverent, passionate - Voice: Direct, opinionated, sometimes confrontational, memorable - Industries: Lifestyle, fitness, creative industries, direct-to-consumer - Example brands: Nike, Oatly, Cards Against Humanity - Key phrases: "Stop settling for...", "The truth is...", "We're done with..." **5. The Guide** - Characteristics: Wise, patient, methodical, trustworthy - Voice: Clear, instructional, supportive, knowledgeable - Industries: Education, professional development, tools, platforms - Example brands: HubSpot, Khan Academy, Ahrefs - Key phrases: "Here's how to...", "Step by step...", "The complete guide to..." **Assessment:** - Primary archetype: [which one and why] - Secondary archetype: [if applicable] - Archetype fit: [Strong/Moderate/Weak -- how well does the brand embody this archetype?] ### Step 5: Vocabulary Analysis Identify patterns in the brand's word choices: #### Words They Use Frequently Analyze all source material and identify the 15-20 most characteristic words or phrases. Organize by category: **Action words:** (verbs they favor) - e.g., "build", "scale", "transform", "streamline" **Descriptive words:** (adjectives they use) - e.g., "powerful", "simple", "enterprise-grade", "effortless" **Value words:** (words that reflect their values) - e.g., "transparent", "sustainable", "inclusive", "innovative" **Industry-specific terms:** - e.g., "workflow", "pipeline", "conversion", "engagement" #### Words They Avoid Identify words that are notably absent or that would feel out of character: - Words that are too casual for the brand (if formal) - Words that are too technical for the brand (if simple) - Competitor terminology they deliberately avoid - Industry cliches they seem to sidestep #### Signature Phrases Does the brand have any recurring phrases, taglines, or linguistic patterns? - Tagline: [if they have one] - Recurring phrases: [patterns you notice] - Linguistic patterns: [e.g., always starts sentences with verbs, uses dashes frequently, favors short paragraphs] ### Step 6: Competitor Voice Comparison Compare the brand's voice to 2-3 key competitors: **Voice Comparison Matrix:** | Dimension | [Brand] | Competitor 1 | Competitor 2 | Competitor 3 | |---|---|---|---|---| | Formal <> Casual | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 | | Serious <> Playful | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 | | Technical <> Simple | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 | | Reserved <> Bold | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 | X/10 | | Primary Archetype | [type] | [type] | [type] | [type] | **Differentiation Assessment:** - How distinct is the brand's voice from competitors? - Where do voices overlap? (potential differentiation opportunity) - What voice territory is unoccupied in the competitive landscape? - Specific recommendations for vocal differentiation ### Step 7: Consistency Audit Assess voice consistency across all analyzed channels: | Channel | Voice Consistency | Notes | |---|---|---| | Homepage | Consistent/Mostly/Inconsistent | [specific observations] | | About page | Consistent/Mostly/Inconsistent | [notes] | | Blog | Consistent/Mostly/Inconsistent | [notes] | | Social media | Consistent/Mostly/Inconsistent | [notes] | | Email | Consistent/Mostly/Inconsistent | [notes] | | Product pages | Consistent/Mostly/Inconsistent | [notes] | **Common Consistency Issues:** - Different writers creating noticeably different tones - Social media voice drastically different from website - Formal website copy but casual email newsletters - Blog content written in a completely different voice than product pages - Error messages or microcopy that feels off-brand - Old pages that haven't been updated to match current brand voice **Overall Consistency Score:** X/10 ### Step 8: Brand Messaging Hierarchy Document the brand's messaging from most distilled to most expanded: #### Level 1: Tagline (under 10 words) The most compressed form of the brand message. - Current: "[existing tagline or suggested one]" - Assessment: Does it capture the core value proposition? #### Level 2: Value Propositions (1 sentence each) 3-5 core value propositions that support the brand promise. 1. "[Value prop 1]" 2. "[Value prop 2]" 3. "[Value prop 3]" #### Level 3: Elevator Pitch (30 seconds / 75 words) A conversational explanation of what the brand does and why it matters. "[Draft elevator pitch based on analyzed content]" #### Level 4: Boilerplate (100-150 words) The standard "about us" paragraph used in press releases, email signatures, and speaker bios. "[Draft boilerplate based on analyzed content]" #### Level 5: Full Brand Story (300-500 words) The complete narrative of who the brand is, what they stand for, and why they exist. - Current status: [Exists/Partial/Missing] - Recommendations for improvement ### Step 9: Generate Brand Voice Documentation Create the comprehensive Do's and Don'ts guide: #### Voice Chart ``` OUR VOICE IS: OUR VOICE IS NOT: